Theme: WORKING OUT OUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING
Text: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” – Ephesians 4:1, 2.
Comment: The fact that a person called by the Almighty God into His honourable and glorious service would no longer be free to do as he pleases or live according to his own convenience is clearly expressed in today’s text. In the first place, to be in the “highway”, “The way of holiness” God’s Holy Organisation, through which “the unclean shall not pass over”, is a matter of divine grace. (Isaiah 35:8; John 6:44, 65; Psalm 65:4) Like St Paul who considered himself as a prisoner of Christ, (Ephesians 3:1) we are required to abide in Christ in such a way as to have our actions and words directed by God through His Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:5-14) The true Christian is expected to be constrained by the relationship and love for God and Christ and to always be mindful of not wanting to offend Them. Our way of life as Christians should be that of doing things with fear and trembling and not to be self-willed. (John 6:38. See also John 5:30; 12:49) What has been said heretofore is further buttressed by what St. Paul stated to wit: “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” – 1 Corinthians 9:27. See also 2 Timothy 1:8; Philemon verses 8, 9.